The artist, Maura McGurk, of the United States, describes her work this way:
This piece, called Love One Another, is a bit of an experiment.
Thematically, it’s a response to gay bullying, and looks at the aftermath of suicides caused by gay bullying. After the suicides of gay teens in Fall 2010 which brought international attention to the bullying problem in the US, it became clear that this is an issue which touches many people. It Gets Better videos have been viewed millions of times; President Obama and Ellen DeGeneres, among others, have said that everyone shares a responsibility for taking a stand against bullying.
This idea of everyone doing their part is the inspiration behind Love One Another.
This artwork is made of 100 painted, magnetized puzzle pieces. Unlike other artwork in this show, the individual components here are designed to be removed from the whole, with each piece taking on life of its own as a small abstract painting. This shows that we all “hold a piece of the puzzle”, we all have a stake in this problem, and can each do something to help solve it.
Maura McGurk is part of an exhibit at the Museum of Motherhood in New York, featuring the expressions of mothers of gay children.
Take a moment to centre yourself in prayer:
O God who created our brotherhood and sisterhood, our parenting and caring for parents, our friends who become family, and our family who become friends, O God of all our relations, be with us. You surprise us, O God, with the miracle of life. You speak to us of the love that overcomes fear. You knit us together as individuals, then you knit us together in one body. O God, who created us sisters and brothers in Christ, open your Word to us this day, Amen.
This Sunday is called Mother’s Day in Canada. In the UCC 1970’s congregations were encouraged to focus on celebrating the whole Christian Family, rather than mothers because of families living without mothers, or with stepmothers. So we call this Sunday Christian Family Sunday. You're wondering about Father’s Day? It usually coincides with Aboriginal Prayer Sabbath!
The week following Sunday also contains Ascension Day (40th day after Easter, always a Thursday.) Some churches will use the readings for Ascension (Acts 1:6-11). In parts of Europe, Ascension Day is a legal holiday, schools and businesses are closed.
READ Acts 10:44-48
One of Luke’s recurring themes is the interruption of a speech: turning a good situation into a bad one, a bad situation into a good one, etc. Usually it underlines a turning point in the story, this literary device seems to add drama and urgency to the apostles’ word.
For example:
Acts 2:37 - hearers are cut to the heart; 10:44 – the Holy Spirit; 17:32 - scoffers and supporters; 22:22 - shouting; 23:7 - dissension between Saducees and Pharisees; 26:24 – in Jerusalem, Paul interrupted by governor Festus.
This interruption is really key however – the Holy Spirit marks a “conversion” – breaking away from the conventions and ethnic restrictions on faith.
Shortly afterwards, in Chapter 11:19 – the Holy Spirit goes on the road! P/Saul is picked up as apostle.
In this passage the interruption happens because Peter has given the testimony “everyone who believes” and the Holy Spirit then confirms it.
In verse 47 - Peter asks “Can anyone withhold baptism?”
Yes, in ancient ritual – even in the early church. Reasons that were applied: if they were pimps, idol-makers, or theatre performers, since there was no Christian theatre, only pagan. If they were teachers forced to teach about pagan gods, or that Caesar was son of God, they were denied; as were charioteers, wrestlers, soldiers, priests of a pagan idol, executioners, magistrates, any public servant – professionally they must support Caesar. Also for immorality, men who keep concubines, or concubines who are “unfaithful” to their one man were also refused. All this according to Hippolytus of Rome, 2nd-3rd century AD.
Question for reflection
How has our understanding of baptism changed? Would you see it more restricted or more accessible?
READ John 15:9-17
This passage builds on what we had last week – the image of the vine and branches. Christ is the central vine – all the branches and new fruit must maintain their connection.
Divine love is the model, in verse.9 "As the Father has loved me", verse.12 "love one another as (conjunction kathos) I have loved you". Kathos can mean either “since” or a comparison like “just as”.
Love is reciprocal – this is different somehow than “love your neighbour” or “love your enemies”, which are clearly one –way. This is community, built with trust between the parties.
Backgroun Context: There is the suggestion that Gospel of John was written for a Christian community experiencing persecution from Rome and increasing rejection by the Jewish community. The followers of Jesus needed to support one another when no one else will.
This passage also holds tension, in the balance between the expression that the followers of Jesus are already loved, but are his friends IF… - to maintain that relationship they must also live with love.
John’s gospel is distinct from Matthew, Mark and Luke in that Jesus seems more in control of his situation than a victim of circumstance (verse 13 “lay down your life”). He is perhaps alerting the followers to what lies ahead and the fact that if they choose to remain faithful, they may have to lay down their lives as well.
Question for Reflection:
How do we understand “laying down our lives” today? How do we apply it?
READ 1 John 5:1-6
The repetitiveness of 1 John is both blessing and curse. We lose our train of thought when we read it over and over again, the same themes and images. It follows a stairstep pattern: the last image in one sentence is usually the first image in the next sentence. But there are 2 new themes to be mined for deeper meaning within the familiar phrases:
1) Love with God leads to love with other people and vice versa; this is seen in the willingness to keep God's commandments - God's love is transformative, and the commandments are not burdensome.
2) This "victory that conquers the world" - does this mean separation from the world? Or a way of living in the world so that the world's pressures do not swallow us whole? The author gives the readers a way to be bold in the world - having faith IN Jesus Christ, not just about Jesus Christ, gives us the feeling of victory.
The verse at the end is likely better connected to what follows - the 3 elements that testify to Christ are spirit, blood and water. They correspond with the image of the Trinity.
Question for Reflection:
How do you feel about being told you "must" follow the commandments?
Closing Prayer:
Divine Vinedresser, What lessons do branches on a vine teach?
Listen, they will tell you.
“I need to be: well trained and planted in drained soil.
Dig deep the planting hole. I am a deep rooter.
Place me in full sunlight and let me lean on a trellis;
If not, since I am a creeper, I will run wild and wind around anything convenient.
Prune me in the dormant season.
Make sure I remember always I am a branch, not the vine.
Follow these lessons and I will produce delicious fruit.”
Thank you, Jesus, the Vine, for this parable of the Vinedresser.
In this journey of faith, this growing in the Spirit
May I produce the precious and delicious fruits of:
truth, humility and walking justly with you, the Vine, and me, the branch,
to be a pleasing fruit for the Vinedresser. Amen
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